Rickettsiaceae

Rick·ett·si·a·ce·ae ri-.ket-sē-'ā-sē-.ē n pl a family of bacteria of the order Rickettsiales that are typically inhabitants of arthropod tissues, are capable in some cases of causing serious disease when transmitted to vertebrates including humans, and include esp. the genera Rickettsia and Cowdria

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Rick·ett·si·a·ceae (rĭ-ket″se-aґse-e) a family of bacteria of the order Rickettsiales, made up of small rod-shaped, ellipsoidal, coccoid, or diplococcus-shaped, obligately intracellular, often pleomorphic microorganisms occurring in arthropods, by which they are transmitted to vertebrates, causing disease. Medically important organisms are contained in the genera Rickettsia and Orientia.